Red Meat: Friend or Foe?

No matter your involvement in the health and fitness field, I'm willing to bet that at some point in your life you've heard that red meat does nasty things to your body.  It has been claimed to increase mortality rate in all sorts of ways, including increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.  Those are some pretty hefty claims, all due to the good ol' moo cow.  But let's look at this a little more closely, and try to shed a light on red meat.  You may be surprised to discover that it's not the killer it's been made out to be.

Firstly, I know there have been many studies done on the correlation between red meat and increased mortality.  But every study I come across doesn't quite hold up to the claim that red meat is the actual reason the test subjects died an early death.  In fact, it's virtually impossible to prove that red meat is the reason for premature mortality.  Sure, it's associated.  But hey, if most of those test subjects were on the average American diet of fatty meat and high carb-loaded, chemical packed, sugary junk, then don't you think the latter might have had a bit to do with it?  And what about genetics?  There are just too many factors to blame it all on red meat.  Don't get me wrong, there's some bad red meat out there, but is all red meat inherently dangerous?  Heck no.  Let's look at what makes up the difference between healthy red meat, and the nasty crap.

First thing you should know.  When you eat an animal, you eat parts of what that animal has ingested.  You're getting a little taste of its diet history, and that may be good, or bad.  If you're eating venison, I wouldn't worry too much, as deer tend to have about the cleanest diets going.  If you're eating a cheap cut of beef though, I'd be a little wary, as most of the cheap stuff was fed feed corn and antibiotics on a daily basis in order to make the cows as big, meaty, and profitable as possible.  When fed corn, the cow puts on a lot of excess fat, which marbles (or interlaces) with the actual muscle, making the cuts absolutely delicious, but packed with saturated fat.  The antibiotics most cattle are given have two distinct purposes: First, they prevent the herd from contracting common diseases, and destroying profit.  Second, smaller doses actually cause the animal to gain weight, which INCREASES profit the farmer obtains at slaughter.  Cows are also given growth hormones which...well...cause growth.  All this equates to more meat and more money.

Unfortunately for us, these chemicals remain in the cuts of meat when we consume them, and they don't do our bodies any favor.  And THAT, my friend, is why red meat is bad for you.  There isn't any curse in the meat itself which causes health problems.  In fact, apart from the chemicals, red meat is actually very, very nutritious.

Protein:  Red meat is packed with protein, and has always been a favorite of the muscle building crowd.  In fact, lean ground beef is one of the most useful muscle building tools going.  A little less than a quarter pound of lean beef has about 25 grams of protein, which is pretty darn awesome.  Not to mention it's delicious, cheap, and readily available at almost any grocery store.  And to top it all off, the protein in red meat is very bioavailable, meaning your body can readily use that protein to rebuild muscle fibers with a high degree of efficiency.  Neat!

Vitamins and Minerals:  Surprisingly, red meat has a ton of vitamins and minerals that your body will love you for consuming.  It's extremely rich in B vitamins, and provides about 70% of the required value of B-12 in 100 grams.  It's also very rich in vitamin B-6, vitamin A, riboflavin, and niacin.  Red meat is also one of the best sources out there for both zinc and iron, and will provide about a quarter of the daily recommended value per serving.  Red meat is also extremely rich in selenium, providing about a fifth of the daily recommended value in one 100 gram helping.

Antioxidants:  That's right, red meat has antioxidants!  Actually, it's got a whole bunch, including generous amounts of glutathione, lipoic acid, carsonine, and anserine.  These substances have been proven to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, act as "anti-aging" compounds, and help maintain healthy metabolic rate.

Fat:  Now you may think you know what's coming here, but prepare to be surprised.  Red meat doesn't just have saturated fat, in fact the majority of the fat in red meat is monounsaturated, and is of the same chemical construction as the healthy fats in olive oil.  It will lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise (HDL) cholesterol. The majority of the saturated fat in red meat is stearic acid, which will increase good cholesterol, but have no effect on bad cholesterol, resulting in only a small deficit in the "bad" direction.  The rest of the fat in red meat is polyunsaturated, and will lower bad cholesterol, and have no effect on good cholesterol.  All in all, about 70% of the fat in red meat is beneficial toward your desired cholesterol ratio.  Doesn't sound so bad, right?  Definitely not as bad as it's been made out to be.

So the real question is, how do you get all these health benefits without all the nasty hormones and fat associated with cheap cuts of beef?  What you need to look for in the grocery store is GRASS FED BEEF. Ground, grass fed lean beef is very low in unhealthy fats, packed with protein, and basically eliminates most of the marbled fat that exists within the meat itself.  Grass is a much healthier alternative for the cows, and by eating it the cows retain much less fat overall and build higher quality muscle.  The same can be said for pork, and you should look for grass fed, or pasture raised varities.  This will virtually ensure that the animal was healthier, and carrying less fat at the time of slaughter.

But wait, even if you choose a nice cut of grass fed meat, you're not out of the woods yet.  You should also make sure you look on the label for something like "no hormones" or "no antibiotics," to ensure you're getting meat WITHOUT all the nasty chemicals.  This will provide you with a healthy and fantastically delicious dinner which will definitely help you build some muscle and trim the fat.  Just be smart about your purchase, read the labels, know your red meat.

Here's a link to the FDA's list of labels that can be placed on food, and what you should look for depending on your goals:http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Meat_&_Poultry_Labeling_Terms/index.asp

Still scared of the myths you've heard about huge caloric content?  Let me brush that nonsense aside right now:

This is for lean, ground, grass fed beef.  Not bad at all.  I could fit that into so many diets I couldn't even come close to counting them all.  Don't be scared of red meat.

Hmmm...maybe I shouldn't have put this picture in...a little too cute...

Bottom line:  Red meat isn't inherently bad for you, and is in fact quite healthy in its natural state.  Don't be scared to eat it, and pay no attention to all the haters of red meat and all its glory.

Enjoy your food, love red meat, and as always, GOOD LUCK!


References:
http://www.eatthefatoftheland.com/red-meat.html
http://animalrights.about.com/od/animalsusedforfood/f/AntibioticsrGBH.htm
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-red-meat

The Ultimate Snack: Canned Fish

My Dorm Room

I've been wanting to do this article for a while, as it covers something dear to my heart.  This food has some of the greatest health benefits per calorie of anything I've ever come across, and should be a staple in anybody's diet, especially those looking to support the growth of lean muscle mass.  The best part is, it's cheap stuff, portable, and low calorie, and therefore can easily fit into almost anybody's daily meals.  What is this remarkable super food that I personally am sooo fond of?

Canned fish!!!  Or actually, I should say packaged fish.

Whether it be salmon, tuna, crab meat, herring, mackerel, or even anchovies, canned fish will do wonders for your diet.  It's satiating, and an extremely rich source of some of the leanest protein available.  It's a must for gym goers, and I usually have it at least once a day as a between meal snack.  Another great benefit to canned fish is that there's so much variety!  Seriously, go to your local Walmart and look around, you'll see fantastic amounts of fish of every variety in cans or vacuum sealed packages, ready to eat AS IS!!!  Let's examine some of the benefits a little more closely, and see why it's truly one of my most favorite foods in existence.

Protein:  OK, clearly I've already stated these varieties of canned fish are packed with lean, dense protein.  But exactly how much?  Well, in most average sized cans of tuna there are two servings of the fish, and there can be anywhere between 10 and 20 grams of protein PER SERVING!  Eat the whole can and you've got yourself a serious muscle meal.  Plus, for chunk light tuna in water, you're only getting 100 calories PER CAN!!!  WOW!!!  That's a lot of protein for barely a caloric blip in your diet.  Perfect!

To give an example of the protein power of fish, check out these two different foods I have in my dorm room.  One is a package of pink salmon (absolutely delicious might I add, and at 98 cents a package they are more than affordable), and a dedicated protein bar (a remarkably good bar for such a low price.)  The bar has 20 grams of protein, and 180 calories.  The salmon?  17 grams of protein, but only 90 calories!  I could eat two of those salmon packages and get 14 more grams of protein for the same amount of calories!  That's pretty impressive.

Omega-3 fatty acids:  These unsaturated fatty acids are essential in everything from heart health to skin health to joint health.  They will support healthy cholesterol, and will help keep joints lubricated and sliding smoothly throughout your day.  They will also help to support the immune system, and have shown signs to being an effective anti-inflammatory supplement as well.  They alleviate pain all over the place, and keep that heart of yours ticking powerfully and efficiently.

Vitamins/Minerals: Fish naturally have a whole host of beneficial vitamins and minerals, including large dosages of vitamin B12, niacin, selenium. vitamin A, and folate.  The great news is that no matter what fish variation you choose, you're most likely going to get a heaping helping of the daily nutrients your body needs.

There's no doubt whatsoever that canned fish has a lot of good packaged with it.  There are a few little things to watch out for though.

Sodium:  Packaged fish usually has a pretty good amount of sodium in it.  Some isn't too bad, and I specifically look at all nutritional labels before I buy, but some are pretty substantial.  On average I'd say canned fish has between 150 mg and 500 mg of sodium per serving, and there's usually two or three servings per can, so all that salt can add up fast.  Read the labels, and go for the varieties lower in salt.

Mercury:  Many people are extremely worried about mercury poisoning when it comes to fish.  Yes there is a slight risk if you're having the stuff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  But a can of tuna per day won't do you much if any harm at all, and I bet you won't feel a speck of difference even if you ended up doubling that number.  My advice?  Take a couple days break from fish if you eat it a lot, but don't be afraid of it.  If the mercury starts to add up, you'll know it.

So what are my favorite varieties?  I like all sorts of things, but tend to drift towards bumblebee and beach clif brands.  Here's a quick little description of the varities I have in my dorm room:

Chunk Light Tuna- This stuff is my foundation.  I get it in water, not oil, to cut down on both calories and fat content.  It takes a little getting used to, especially if you eat it plain.  What I would suggest is eating it with some salsa, or mix it in with some vegetables.  You can even spread it plain on some whole wheat bread and top it off with mustard, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, or whatever floats your boat.

Tiny Shrimp-  These are probably the most protein packed of anything I have on my shelf.  They're exactly what the can says:  tiny...shrimp.  For about 140 calories you're getting 30 grams of protein, and they're delicious!  Especially if you like traditional cocktail shrimp.  Eat them plain or with a little salsa.  I've mixed them into brown rice before as well, and boy was that good!

Salmon- I have a bunch of varities of this big fish in my dorm room.  I eat it both from the can (bumblebee pink salmon) or via my new favorite method, vacuum packed pouch.  Salmon is naturally a very tasty fish, and will taste better to most people than tuna straight from the can.  Again though, mix it in with a few things.  I've had it accompanying some butternut squash, and as mentioned above I've had it with salsa as well.

Fish Steaks- I love these things!  Fish steaks from beach clif are dense, yummy, and really fill you up.  They're great to eat plain, especially the ones covered in mustard sauce or Louisiana hot sauce.  They've got some sodium, but aren't atrocious compared to some other varieties.  Just pop the top, grab a fork, and dig in!

Crab Meat- This stuff is goooodddd.  It's very "light" and fluffy, and has a much less distinct taste to it than say, tuna.  It still is packed with protein, but tends to be very low calorie (only around 80 calories per can).  Because it doesn't have a huge amount of taste to it naturally, I like to add it to things that do have some taste, or at least eat them with it in a meal.  I used to have a can of crab meat and a sweet potato for my morning snack.

Sardines- These little suckers are tasty, but might take some getting used to.  They have a powerful taste, and still have the bones in them!  Don't worry, the bones only add a tiny little bit of texture (which I enjoy a lot), and are actually a great source of calcium!  Give them a try.  If you don't like them straight off the bat, try them on a whole wheat cracker or something, or again, mask the taste with a healthy sauce.  Give them a chance!

Kippered Seafood Snacks-  These big flat cans are full of smooth, tasty goodness.  The kippered herring in these things is absolutely delectable!  It's filled with healthy oils, and slides quite easily down your throat.  The high fat content will help them to taste much better to most people, and I highly suggest giving them a shot.  They're only 130 calories per can, and I'm sure they'll fill you up!


The bottom line:  Fish is unquestionably one of the greatest foods you could fit into your diet.  It's packed with all sorts of health benefits, and will really help your body to maintain healthy muscle mass and a resulting fast metabolism.  I'm not going to say fish straight from the can is immediately palatable by everyone, and I wouldn't suggest digging straight in.  Mix some canned fish in with other foods, like rice, vegetables, chilies, pastas, anything really.  You'll find you'll take to the taste much more quickly, and pretty soon you'll be popping cans of tuna and salmon out of your lunch box for a quick, low calorie, protein packed snack.  Give them all a try, I bet there's a variety out there you'll love!

Give fish a chance, your body will thank you.  Good Luck!

Venison: Lean, Healthy and Delicious!

It's that time of year, time to eat something a little more organic!

I bet there's a lot of you that have never tried venison.  Some of you might not even really know what it is, BUT WAIT, I'll tell you before you go running off to google.  Venison is deer meat, most commonly from white-tailed deer.  It's a great alternative to boring old beef and chicken, and boy is it lean!  Hunters bag over 6 million white tailed deer per year, so if you're willing to look a little bit, there's plenty of venison out there for you to try it!

Why is Venison so lean?  Well, deer are extremely active animals, with very herbaceous diets. They're constantly darting from field to field, and never accumulate a caloric excess to the point that would allow them to gain large amounts of fat.  All that running packs some pretty dense muscle on their bones as well, so when these two facts are combined it's easy to see that Venison could quite possibly be one of the leanest sources of land-based protein.  

For example, let's compare.  

1 oz of Venison has 46 calories, .3g saturated fat, and 9.8g of protein.

1 oz of lean, broiled steak has 55 calories, .7g saturated fat, and 8.5g protein.

1 oz of a lower quality cut of steak has 90 calories, 2.5g saturated fat, and 8g protein

Excuse my inconsistent significant figures

Even the leanest beef can't compare to an ounce of natural, organic Venison.  To bring this point home, 4oz of Venison on average has around 180 calories and 35g of protein.  4oz of an AVERAGE CUT OF 70/30 BEEF has 350 calories and 20 grams of protein.  The clear winner? Venison.

And as I mentioned above, Venison is Organic!  Most farm raised animals have been fed some sort of steroid of hormone in order to increase their muscle mass (or possibly just their size in general).  Bigger muscles= more meat= more money for the farmers.  I'm not going to harp on farmers for their techniques, it's easy to see why this is done, and for the most part it's not a huge deal. But these injected meats definitely are NOT as healthy to consume as their organic counterparts, and it's hard to get more organic than Venison.  

Venison is also packed full of vitamins and other nutrients, like Vitamin B (and all it's counterparts), D, E, magnesium, manganese, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, Copper, and Potassium.  It even has a good serving a folate in it.  This meat is packed with health benefits!

Unfortunately, Venison isn't quite as "consistent" a meat as say, beef or chicken.  What I mean by this is that the toughness and taste of the meat varies greatly depending on how the animal was taken.  Here's a quote I found from another website stating a few factors that can cause Venison to lose some of it's taste or tenderness:

"Young animals are generally tender by nature, and require little, or no aging to ensure tenderness. However, if the deer runs a great distance between wounding and death, there's a good chance it will expend all its glycogen reserves. When this happens, the pH level of the meat increases, speeding bacterial growth."

So there's a few other factors in determining the taste of the meat itself.  Also, there's a few small nuances with cooking/dressing/storing the meat that can be important, due to the highly natural diet of deer.  Follow these tips to ensure that your Venison is both safe and delicious:

Cooking Tips

• Parasites and tapeworms are common in venison; hence it should be frozen for minimum of two hours. This will kill any parasites or tapeworms.
• For tougher cuts like rump, round and shoulder, moist heat methods such as braising (simmering in a small amount of liquid, in a covered pot) is recommended.
• Prepare a hearty stew by combining venison steak pieces, root vegetables, spices and broth.
• Skewer marinated cubes of venison steak with vegetables and grill in the oven or on the barbeque.
• To mask the gamey flavor of venison, spices or marinades can be used.
• A vinegar-soaked cloth will remove hair from the meat, which can otherwise produce undesirable flavors.
• You can add other fats to avoid the meat from becoming too dry. Rub a roast with oil, butter, margarine, bacon fat or sweet or sour cream to add moisture, richness, and flavor.
• In case you have to marinate venison, do so in the refrigerator only. This is because its extreme sensitivity to heat might spoil it, at room temperature.
• Always defrost frozen venison in the refrigerator and not at room temperature

All in all, Venison is a perfect alternative to traditional beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and similar meats.  Think of it, a healthy red meat!  What are the chances.  I suggest that you try this meat out ASAP, either for lunch or dinner.  The taste may take a little getting used to, it can be very strong and some people don't completely enjoy it at first. But others absolutely LOVE IT.  I plan to pick some up soon myself, probably in the form of Venison jerky.  

Be adventurous, try something natural, lean, healthy, and delicious!

Cook carefully, enjoy wholeheartedly, and good luck!